Immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD), which affects many organ systems, has been recognized as a distinct clinical entity in human medicine for just over a decade but has not been previously identified in dogs. In humans, IgG4-RD is characterized by diffuse IgG4-positive lymphoplasmacytic infiltrates that commonly lead to increased serum concentrations of IgG4 and IgE, peripheral eosinophilia, tumorous swellings that often include the parotid salivary glands, obliterative phlebitis, and extensive fibrosis. Herein we describe the diagnosis, clinical progression, and successful treatment of IgG4-RD in an 8-year-old female spayed Husky mixed breed dog.Immunoglobulin G4-related disease should be considered as a differential diagnosis for dogs with vague clinical signs, lymphoplasmacytic swellings, restricted polyclonal gammopathy, eosinophilia or some combination of these findings.

Objectives The purpose of this study was to solicit and compile data from practicing veterinary specialists regarding their use of toceranib in cats with mast cell neoplasia and to provide initial assessment of possible clinical benefit and adverse events. Methods The American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine and Oncology listservs were used to solicit data pertaining to cases in which toceranib was used in the treatment of feline mast cell neoplasia. Cases were included if the following data were received: signalment (age, sex, breed), diagnosis of mast cell neoplasia by either cytology or histopathology, anatomic classification of disease (cutaneous, splenic/hepatic, gastrointestinal, other), previous and concurrent treatment, toceranib dose (mg/kg) and schedule, duration of therapy, best response and documentation of adverse events. Results Case data from 50 cats with cutaneous (n = 22), splenic/hepatic (visceral) (n = 10), gastrointestinal (n = 17) or other (n = 1) mast cell neoplasia were received. Clinical benefit was seen in 80% (40/50), including 86% (19/22) with cutaneous, 80% (8/10) with visceral and 76% (13/17) with gastrointestinal involvement. A majority of cats (n = 35) received glucocorticoids during toceranib treatment. Median duration of treatment in cats experiencing clinical benefit was 36 weeks (range 4-106 weeks), 48 weeks (range 12-199 weeks) and 23 weeks (range 13-81 weeks) for cutaneous, visceral and gastrointestinal cases, respectively. Toceranib was administered at a median dose of 2.5 mg/kg (range 1.6-3.5 mg/kg); in 90% (45/50) the drug was given three times per week. Treatment was generally well tolerated with 60% (30/50) of cats experiencing adverse events. The majority of these events were low-grade (grade 1 or 2) gastrointestinal or hematologic events that resolved with treatment break and/or dose adjustment. Conclusions and relevance Toceranib appears to be well tolerated in feline patients with mast cell neoplasia. Biologic activity of this drug is evident in the studied cats; however, further prospective studies are needed to elucidate fully its role in treatment of this disease.

Canine respiratory coronavirus (CRCoV) has been detected recently in dogs with canine infectious respiratory disease and is involved in the clinical disease complex. CRCoV is a group 2 coronavirus most closely related to bovine coronavirus and human coronavirus OC43. A real-time PCR assay was developed for the detection of CRCoV. The assay was validated against cell culture grown virus and shown to have a high level of sensitivity. A range of tissue samples were collected from dogs at a re-homing centre with a history of endemic respiratory disease. The samples were tested using a conventional nested PCR assay and CRCoV was quantitated by real-time PCR. CRCoV was detected most frequently in the nasal mucosa, nasal tonsil and trachea. It was also detected in the lung, and bronchial lymph node. Of the enteric tissues, only one mesenteric lymph node sample was positive. In addition two colon samples were positive for CRCoV by nested PCR only. In conclusion, CRCoV appears to infect the upper respiratory tract preferentially. The CRCoV real-time PCR assay has proved to be a highly specific and sensitive assay that can be applied for diagnostic purposes as well as to investigate further the tissue tropism of CRCoV.

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OBJECTIVE To compare resident and intern salaries with current regional living wages as a quantitative estimate of financial strain. SAMPLE 152 residency programs and 141 internship programs listed with the Veterinary Internship and Residency Matching Program for the 2021–2022 training year. PROCEDURES Data were collected for program annual salary and location. Regional living wage for each location was determined with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Living Wage Calculator, and annual salary was compared with living wage to estimate income surplus before and after taxes. Results for programs in academia and private practice were compared. Spearman correlation was used to determine whether program annual salary was significantly associated with regional living wage. RESULTS Mean ± SD income surplus before taxes was $7,786 ± 9,426 for clinical residency programs, $16,672 ± 5,105 for laboratory animal programs, and $5,829 ± 8,119 for internships. Academic residencies and internships offered salaries significantly lower than those offered in private practice, and income surpluses before and after taxes were significantly lower for academic programs than for private practice programs. There were weak and moderate, respectively, correlations between program annual salary and regional living wage for residency (r = 0.369) and internship (r = 0.570) programs. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Postgraduate training prolongs financial instability, and annual salaries generally do not meet the minimum income standard of a living wage. Financial stress has implications for mental health and diversity, and these findings invite deeper consideration of current remuneration practices for veterinary residents and interns.