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Biomedical subjects

S F Foster

Publications and source records attributed to S F Foster.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy in a young Boxer dog with supraventricular tachycardia due to an accessory pathway.

A 1-year-old male Boxer dog presented with sustained supraventricular tachycardia and tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy. Conversion to sinus rhythm was achieved initially with intravenous lignocaine and subsequently with oral procainamide. Oral procainamide treatment was relatively successful in maintaining normal sinus rhythm with no side effects apart from a reversible change in coat colour. Electrophysiological studies demonstrated the presence of an accessory pathway connecting the right atrium to the right ventricle and confirmed the diagnosis of orthodromic atrioventricular reciprocating tachycardia. Radiofrequency catheter ablation of the accessory pathway led to permanent resolution of the supraventricular tachycardia and for 9.5 years the dog has had no further signs of cardiac disease. The successful treatment of this condition highlights the importance of differentiating tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy from dilated cardiomyopathy.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Lower respiratory tract infections in cats: 21 cases (1995-2000).

Twenty-one lower respiratory tract infections diagnosed in cats at University of Sydney Veterinary Centre between 1995 and 2000 were identified retrospectively. Patient records were analysed to determine historical, clinical, clinicopathologic and radiographic features of lower respiratory tract infections. Response to therapy was also assessed. Infectious agents identified were Mycoplasma spp., Pasteurella spp., Bordetella bronchiseptica, Salmonella typhimurium, Pseudomonas sp., Mycobacterium thermoresistible, Cryptococcus neoformans, Toxoplasma gondii, Aelurostrongylus abstrusus and Eucoleus aerophilus. The study provides a detailed retrospective analysis of infectious lower respiratory tract disease in this population of cats.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

A retrospective analysis of feline bronchoalveolar lavage cytology and microbiology (1995-2000).

A retrospective study of 88 bronchoalveolar lavage specimens from 80 cats presenting to the University of Sydney Veterinary Centre between 1995 and 2000 was performed. Bronchoalveolar lavage cytology and microbiology in conjunction with other diagnostic aids and patient records were used to classify cases as lower respiratory tract infections (LTRIs), LRTI revisits, feline bronchial disease, cardiac disease, neoplastic disease and multisystemic disease. Cases for which a definitive diagnosis could not be made were classified as inconclusive. Infectious agents identified were Mycoplasma spp., Pasteurella spp., Bordetella bronchiseptica, Salmonella typhimurium, Pseudomonas sp., Cryptococcus neoformans, Aelurostrongylus abstrusus and Eucoleus aerophilus. The study highlights the importance of bronchoalveolar lavage cytology and microbiology in the evaluation of feline lower respiratory tract disease.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Twenty-five cases of feline bronchial disease (1995-2000).

Twenty-five cases of feline bronchial disease were identified retrospectively. The criteria for inclusion were consistent clinical signs or histopathology and no other identifiable aetiology. Patient records were analysed to determine historical, clinical, clinicopathologic and radiographic features. The main presenting complaints were coughing and dyspnoea. The most common physical finding was dyspnoea. The majority of radiographs had a bronchial pattern either as the sole change or as a component of a mixed pattern. Bronchoalveolar lavage cytology was neutrophilic or eosinophilic in the majority of cats. There was no association between age, breed, sex, clinical signs, bronchoalveolar lavage cytology or radiographic severity and disease severity.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Gastroduodenal ulceration in cats: eight cases and a review of the literature.

Gastroduodenal ulceration (GU) and blood loss was diagnosed in eight cats and compared with 25 previously reported cases of feline GU. Cats with GU presented in a critical condition. Clinical signs consistent with gastrointestinal bleeding were infrequently identified although anaemia was a common finding. Non-neoplastic causes of feline GU tended to have a shorter clinical course with ulcers confined to the stomach. Conversely, cats with tumour-associated GU usually had a more protracted clinical course, weight loss, and ulcers located in the stomach for gastric tumours and the duodenum for extra-intestinal tumours. In this series, definitive diagnosis was possible for cats with neoplasia (gastric tumours and gastrinoma), however, it was difficult to precisely identify the underlying aetiology in cats with non-neoplastic GU. Prompt stabilisation with a compatible blood transfusion, surgical debridement or resection, antibiotic and antiulcer therapy, and treatment of the underlying disease, if identified, was successful in the majority of cases. The prognosis for cats with appropriately managed GU depended on the underlying aetiology, but even cats with neoplasia could be successfully palliated for prolonged periods.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Spontaneous hepatic rupture in six cats with systemic amyloidosis.

Spontaneous hepatic rupture, secondary to the accumulation of hepatic amyloid, was diagnosed in six cats over a two-year period. Previous reports of feline hepatic amyloidosis have documented clusters of cases from breeding catteries. Most affected cats have been Siamese or a related breed and the disease is generally regarded as familial. In contrast, the cases presented here were sporadic, with relatives and other cats in the household not clinically affected. They included a Devon rex, a breed not previously reported with this condition, and a domestic shorthair. Clinical signs in three of these cases had, prior to referral, been misinterpreted as resulting from blunt trauma, immune-mediated haemolysis or a coagulopathy. Antemortem diagnostic features, including new data on the value of hepatic ultrasonography and fine-needle aspirate cytology, are reported. These cases illustrate how the course of this disease can vary between individuals and that, despite the dramatic underlying pathology, hepatic amyloidosis can present a diagnostic challenge and should be suspected in any young adult cat with consistent clinical signs, irrespective of breed or environment.

Amyloidosis↗
PubMed2002

Acute febrile neutrophilic vasculitis of the skin of young Shar-Pei dogs.

Three young Shar-Pei dogs were presented for signs of an acute widespread dermatopathy associated with fever and malaise. Cutaneous lesions initially consisted of multifocal areas of skin discolouration (haemorrhagic papules, macules or plaques) or oedema, preferentially affecting the head and limbs. In some locations, pus-filled bullae were evident also. Cutaneous lesions exuded seropurulent liquid and, in time, usually progressed to full thickness necrosis and ulceration. Lesions were so widespread and severe that one of the dogs was euthanased because its owners could not afford the reconstructive surgery required to close the skin deficits left at the completion of otherwise successful therapy. Histological examination of representative biopsies showed neutrophilic dermatitis and vasculitis, which ultimately resulted in ischaemic necrosis of skin. Therapy with immunosuppressive doses of corticosteroids, and in one case cyclophosphamide, resulted in prompt amelioration of the underlying inflammatory process, although regions of skin deprived of their blood supply eventually became necrotic and sloughed. Healing occurred through granulation, contraction and epithelialisation. The physical findings in these three dogs were so similar that it is likely all suffered from the same breed-related syndrome, an immune-mediated vasculitis precipitated by some event, such as vaccination or an undetected infection. Whatever the inciting cause, it was most likely a one-off event, as the two surviving dogs were readily weaned off immunosuppressive medication without relapse.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗
PubMed2001

Therapy for Australian cats with lymphosarcoma.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the response of Australian cats with lymphosarcoma to chemotherapy and/or surgery in relation to patient and tumour characteristics, haematological and serum biochemical values and retroviral status. DESIGN: Prospective study of 61 client-owned cats with naturally-occurring lymphosarcoma subjected to multi-agent chemotherapy and/or surgery. PROCEDURE: An accepted chemotherapy protocol utilising l-asparaginase, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, methotrexate and prednisolone was modified and used to treat 60 cats with lymphosarcoma. Clinical findings were recorded before and during therapy. As far as practical, cases were followed to death, euthanasia or apparent cure. Owner satisfaction with the results of chemotherapy was determined using a questionnaire sent after the completion of chemotherapy. RESULTS: One cat, with lymphosarcoma limited to a single mandibular lymph node, was treated using surgery alone and was cured. The other 60 cats were treated using multi-agent chemotherapy, although seven cats with localised intestinal, ocular and subcutaneous lesions had these lesions partially (2 intestinal lesions) or completely (2 eyes, 2 intestinal lesions and a cluster of regional lymph nodes) resected prior to starting chemotherapy. The median survival time for these 60 cats was 116 days. Of the 60 cats, 48 rapidly went into complete remission following the administration of 1-asparaginase, vincristine and prednisolone (complete remission rate 80%) and these cats had a median survival of 187 days. Three cats were censored from further analysis as their long-term survival data were uninterpretable because they died of causes unrelated to lymphosarcoma or were prematurely lost to follow-up. Twenty cats were classed as 'long-term survivors' based on survival time in excess of one year and at least 14 were 'cured' based on the absence of physical evidence of lymphosarcoma 2-years after initiating treatment. In other words, of the 48 cats that reached complete remission, in excess of 29% were 'cured'. Despite detailed analysis, few meaningful prognostic indicators based on patient or tumour characteristics were identified, although long-term survivors were more likely to be less than 4-years (P= 0.04) and to have tumours of the T-cell phenotype (P= 0.06). Excluding the one FeLV ELISA-positive cat with mediastinal LSA, 7 of 9 cats less than 4 years-of-age were long-term survivors (median survival time >1271 days). There was a strong association between achieving complete remission and long-term survival (P = 0.003). On the basis of 27 replies to a questionnaire, owners were generally very satisfied with the response to chemotherapy, irrespective of the survival time of the individual patient. Eighty five percent of owners expressed complete satisfaction with their decision to pursue chemotherapy and 70% believed their cat's health status improved during the first 2-weeks of treatment. Importantly, 78% of owners considered that chemotherapy required a very substantial time commitment on their part. CONCLUSIONS: It was possible to cure approximately one quarter of cats with lymphosarcoma using sequential multi-agent chemotherapy and/or surgery. FeLV-negative cats younger than 4 years (typically with mediastinal lymphosarcoma) had a particularly favourable prognosis. The decision to embark on chemotherapy should be based on the results of induction chemotherapy with l-asparaginase, vincristine and prednisolone, as the response to this was a good predictor of long-term survival. Cats surviving the first 16 weeks of chemotherapy generally enjoyed robust remissions (in excess of 1 year) or were cured of their malignancy.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Prevalence of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease in Persian cats and related-breeds in Sydney and Brisbane.

OBJECTIVE: A form of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease has been identified in Persian cats and related breeds. Two features make elimination of this disease from future generations an achievable goal: the autosomal dominant mode of inheritance and the availability of a noninvasive technique, renal ultrasonography, to identify affected cats. The aims of this study were; to determine the prevalence of the disease in Persian cats and related breeds in Sydney and Brisbane, to determine any effect of domicile and breed on disease prevalence, to alert veterinary practitioners to the prevalence of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease and to propose methods of eliminating the disease from future generations of cattery-bred cats. DESIGN: To be included in this scheme, cats had to be of Persian or related breed and be older than 10 months-of-age. Younger cats were excluded because of the increased likelihood of a false negative result. Renal ultrasonography was performed using either a Medison 600 with a 7.5 MHz mechanical sector scanner (n = 228, Brisbane) or using an ATL UltraMark-9 with a 5 to 10 MHz linear array transducer (n = 92, Sydney). The effects of domicile (Sydney versus Brisbane) and breed on the prevalence of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease were tested using two-tailed Fisher's Exact tests. RESULTS: A total of 320 cats were tested comprising 230 Persians, 48 Himalayans, 17 Exotics, 14 Burmillas, 6 Ragdolls and 5 Chinchillas. The prevalence of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease in Sydney (45%) and Brisbane (42%) was comparable and no sex predilection was identified. The disease was not detected in Ragdolls, although only a small number was tested. Two of 14 Burmilla cats were positive (14%), demonstrating that long hair coat and brachycephalic features do not segregate with the polycystic kidney disease trait. CONCLUSION: These results show that the prevalence of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease amongst purebred, long-haired cats in Australia is currently very high. Ultrasound detection schemes are easy to establish and breeder participation can be encouraged through subsidisation.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Cerebral cryptococcal granuloma in a cat.

A 7-year-old cat was presented for seizures. Cerebrospinal fluid cytology and serology were consistent with a diagnosis of toxoplasmosis. The cat was treated with clindamycin but seizures continued and additional neurological signs developed over 6 months. A mass lesion was identified in the left cerebral hemisphere using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The lesion enhanced after gadolidium and a tumour was considered likely. Histologically, the lesion proved to be a cryptococcal granuloma and retrospective serology confirmed that the cat had cryptococcosis at its initial presentation. This report provides the first description in the veterinary literature of the MRI appearance of a cerebral cryptococcoma and emphasises the importance of performing cryptococcal antigen determination in cats with signs of intracranial disease.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Effect of phenobarbitone on the low-dose dexamethasone suppression test and the urinary corticoid: creatinine ratio in dogs.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate potential effects of phenobarbitone on the low-dose dexamethasone suppression (LDDS) test and urinary corticoid to creatinine ratio in dogs in a controlled prospective study and in a clinical setting. ANIMALS: Ten crossbreed experimental dogs and 10 client-owned dogs of mixed breeds treated chronically with phenobarbitone to control seizures. PROCEDURES: Experimental dogs were allocated to treatment (6 mg/kg oral phenobarbitone, n = 6) and control (n = 4) groups. LDDS tests (dexamethasone 0.01 mg/kg intravenously, cortisol concentration determined at 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 h) were conducted repeatedly over a 3-month period. Urinary corticoid to creatinine ratios were measured before LDDS tests. A single LDDS test was performed on 10 epileptic dogs. RESULTS: LDDS and urinary corticoid to creatinine ratios in dogs were not affected by treatment with phenobarbitone. CONCLUSIONS: Phenobarbitone does not interfere with LDDS testing regardless of dosage or treatment time. Urinary corticoid to creatinine ratios are also unaffected.

Adrenal Cortex Function Tests↗
PubMed2000

Effects of phenobarbitone on serum biochemical tests in dogs.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate effects of phenobarbitone on serum activities of alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase and gamma-glutamyl transferase and concentrations of bilirubin, albumin, cholesterol and total protein in dogs. ANIMALS: Ten crossbreed experimental dogs and 10 client-owned dogs of mixed breeds treated chronically with phenobarbitone to control seizures. PROCEDURES: Experimental dogs were allocated to treatment (6 mg/kg oral phenobarbitone, n = 6) and control (no treatment, n = 4) groups in which serum biochemical tests were performed at intervals during a 3-month period. Biochemical tests were performed once on the 10 epileptic dogs. RESULTS: Phenobarbitone caused increased serum alkaline phosphatase activity but did not affect gamma-glutamyl transferase activity or bilirubin, cholesterol, albumin and total protein concentrations. Phenobarbitone had minimal effect on alanine aminotransferase activity. CONCLUSIONS: Individual dogs treated with phenobarbitone may have small increases in serum alanine aminotransferase activity and variable increases in alkaline phosphatase activity but are unlikely to have alterations in gamma-glutamyl transferase activity or bilirubin, cholesterol, albumin or total protein concentrations.

Alanine Transaminase↗
PubMed1999

Chronic pneumonia caused by Mycobacterium thermoresistibile in a cat.

Mycobacterium thermoresistibile was isolated in pure culture from ultrasound-guided pulmonary aspirates taken from a young cat with severe, chronic, pyogranulomatous pneumonia. Thoracic radiography and ultrasonography before therapy demonstrated severe diffuse alveolar disease. Twelve months combination therapy with doxycycline, rifampicin and clarithromycin resolved the infection. Thoracic radiographs taken at the completion of therapy showed multifocal pulmonary mineralisation. M thermoresistibile has been infrequently reported as a human or animal pathogen. This is the first reported pulmonary infection by M thermoresistibile in a cat and documents the successful treatment of the organism in a feline patient.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Plasma cortisol responses to three corticotrophic preparations in normal dogs.

OBJECTIVE: To compare cortisol responses to three corticotrophic preparations in normal dogs. ANIMALS: Eight clinically normal dogs (four intact males, four intact females) of medium size. PROCEDURES: Each dog received four treatments on four separate occasions in a duplicated Latin square pattern. Treatments were two adrenocorticotrophin (ACTH) preparations given intramuscularly at 2.2 U/kg, one of the ACTH preparations given intramuscularly at 1 U/kg and a synthetic polypeptide with ACTH-like activity (tetracosactrin, cosyntropin) given intravenously at 5 micrograms/kg. Plasma samples were taken for cortisol assay before and at 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 h after treatment. RESULTS: Plasma cortisol concentrations were similar with the two ACTH preparations and at both dose rates. Tetracosactrin produced smaller mean peak cortisol concentrations, which tended to occur earlier than with ACTH, and smaller values for the area under the curve of plasma cortisol concentration from zero time to 4 h. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that canine adrenal function can be tested adequately by giving ACTH intramuscularly at 1 U/kg and measuring plasma cortisol in samples taken at 0 and 2 h, or by giving tetracosactrin intravenously at 5 micrograms/kg and determining cortisol concentration at 0 and 1 h.

Adrenal Cortex Function Tests↗