Background Changes in canine hematology measurements may occur when analyses are delayed due to shipment of specimens to a laboratory. Objective The purpose of this study was to report changes in hematologic variables in healthy and diseased canine blood measured with a Sysmex XT‐2000iV during storage at room temperature for 24 and 48 hours. Methods EDTA‐K3 blood samples from 42 healthy and diseased dogs were measured on a Sysmex XT‐2000iV analyzer within one hour of sampling, and after storage for 24 and 48 hours at room temperature in the dark. Results Storage caused little or no change in RBC count, HGB concentration and MCH, while there was a moderate increase in HCT, MCV and reticulocytes count, and a moderate decrease in MCHC. Decreased platelet counts by impedance (PLT‐I) and optical (PLT‐O) measurements were associated with increased mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet‐large cell ratio (P‐LCR) and platelet distribution width (PDW), including a right shift in the platelet histogram and a dispersion of the platelet dot plot on the scattergram. The total and differential WBC count remained stable except for decreased monocyte counts. In the scatterplots, monocytes shifted into the lymphocyte population after 24 hours, and neutrophil population shifted to the right appearing in the eosinophil gate at 48 hours of storage. The disease status had only a small effect on storage‐induced changes, and observed changes had no consequences for clinical decisions. Conclusions Blood storage at room temperature was accompanied by moderate variations in some hematologic variables, awareness of which helps in avoiding misinterpretations.

A naplasmoses are emerging tickborne zoonoses caused by intracellular bacteria of the Anaplasma genus. In total, 8 Anaplasma species and several candidate species have been described, including at least 5 species infecting humans (1,2). Of particular concern, the agent of human granulocytic anaplasmosis, A. phagocytophilum, has a specific tropism to polymorphonuclear neutrophils (1,3). Another species, provisionally named A. capra, recently described from asymptomatic goats, is now recognized as an agent of human intraerythrocytic anaplasmosis in China (4). The 3 other species detected in humans are major veterinary agents sporadically identified in few patients worldwide: A. ovis and A. bovis in erythrocytes and A. platys in platelets (1,5). Human anaplasmosis are consistently associated with persons who live in rural areas in habitats favorable to ticks or who work closely with domestic animals (1,6). However, recent surveys report the presence of novel Anaplasma species of undetermined zoonotic potential in wild fauna (1,2). The StudyWe assessed the presence of Anaplasma in blood samples of clandestine gold miners working in the Amazon rainforest of French Guiana. This 83,000 km 2 territory, located between Suriname and Brazil, is one of the regions of highest biodiversity in the world, with >280 species of wild mammals (7). The human population of French Guiana (≈284,000 inhabitants) is concentrated principally in a handful of towns spread along the coastline and the 2 main rivers (8). The interior is largely uninhabited and covered by dense rainforest, where illegal gold mining camps are located (9,10).We examined 363 archived DNA extracts obtained from human blood samples. We primarily collected these samples in 2019 as part of Malakit, a malaria survey in remote mining camps in French Guiana (11). To characterize the whole bacterial diversity, we typed DNA blood samples by using a high-throughput bacterial 16S rDNA (rrs) sequencing approach (bacterial barcoding) (12). Bacteria were characterized as operational taxonomic units (OTUs) and amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) and taxonomically assigned by using the Silva database (https://www.arb-silva.de).Examination of OTUs and ASVs revealed the presence of Anaplasma sequences in 1 DNA sample.No OTU or ASV assigned to the Anaplasma genus or to the Anaplasmataceae family was detected in the 362 other samples. We further conducted 2 independent Anaplasma-specific PCRs targeting a region of the 16S rDNA gene (544 bp) and the 23S-5S (ITS2) intergenic region (423 bp) using techniques described by Calchi et al. (13) and obtained amplicons of correct sizes for the positive sample. The Sanger sequencing of amplicons obtained with each pair of primers

We report the complete genome sequence of Mycoplasma ovis strain Michigan. Its single circular chromosome has 702,511 bp and contains 2 copies of the 16S rRNA gene, one corresponding to M. ovis and the other to “Candidatus Mycoplasma haemovis.” All housekeeping genes and the 5S-23S rRNA genes are present in single copies.

PurposeThe purpose was to determine the safety and antitumor activity of a folate-tubulysin conjugate (EC0531) in a relevant preclinical animal model, dogs with naturally-occurring invasive urothelial carcinoma (iUC). Canine iUC is an aggressive cancer with high folate receptor (FR) expression similar to that in certain forms of human cancer.Experimental DesignA 3+3 dose escalation study of EC0531 (starting dose 0.2 mg/kg given intravenously at two-week intervals) was performed in dogs with iUC expressing high levels of FRs (>50% positive tumor cells). Pharmacokinetic (PK) analysis was performed, and the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) was determined. The dose cohort at the MTD was expanded to determine antitumor activity.ResultsThe MTD of EC0531 was 0.26 mg/kg every two weeks, with grade 3-4 neutropenia and gastrointestinal toxicity observed at higher doses. Treatment at the MTD was well tolerated. Clinical benefit was found in 20 of 28 dogs (71%), including three dogs with partial remission and 17 dogs with stable disease. Plasma EC0531 concentrations in the dogs far exceeded those required to inhibit proliferation of FR-expressing cell in vitro. Unlike human neutrophils, canine neutrophils were found to express FRs, which contributes to the neutropenia at higher doses of EC0531 in dogs.ConclusionEC0531 was well tolerated and had good antitumor activity in dogs with iUC. It is likely that humans will tolerate higher, potentially more effective doses of folate-tubulysin without myelotoxicity because of the absence of FRs on human neutrophils. The results clearly justify the evaluation of folate-tubulysin in human clinical trials.

A 14-year-old, spayed female Domestic Shorthair cat was referred to the Purdue University Veterinary Teaching Hospital (PUVTH) for iodine 131 treatment of hyperthyroidism. Upon arrival, a biochemistry profile and a CBC were performed. Approximately 50% of the neutrophils and all the eosinophils observed were hyposegmented with a mature, condensed chromatin pattern. Nuclei had a band to "dumbbell" shape, and rarely a round shape, suggesting a Pelger-Huët anomaly or a pseudo Pelger-Huët. Based on both a negative FeLV and FIV tests, the absence of any clinical signs to support an inflammatory process, and the persistence of this granulocytic morphology 6 months after its previous admission to the PUVTH, a diagnosis of Pelger-Huët anomaly was established in this cat.