No abstract

A nine-year-old sexually entire male North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) was evaluated for multiple cutaneous masses that had progressively worsened over a seven-year period. Clinical examination revealed multiple exophytic pigmented papules, nodules and plaques on the muzzle, pinnae, limbs, palpebrae and periocular regions. Skin biopsies were consistent with papillomavirus-associated proliferative epithelial lesions. Using PCR primers specific for papillomaviruses, a partial fragment of the papillomavirus L1 gene was successfully amplified from the porcupine skin samples. Sequencing of the PCR product yielded a sequence with only 69% homology to the closest previously reported papillomavirus sequence, indicating this was a novel papillomavirus. Treatment was multimodal. A partial eyelid resection was performed, and a carbon dioxide laser and cryosurgery were used to treat focal lesions. Interferon-α 2A was also administered orally. These therapies resulted in a mild decrease in the size of the lesions followed by subsequent stabilisation over a period of 12 months.

Background -Dogs receiving long-term glucocorticoids or ciclosporin have an increased frequency of bacteriuria. No studies have investigated the frequency of bacteriuria in cats receiving long-term glucocorticoids and/or ciclosporin.Hypotheses/Objectives -To document whether subclinical bacteriuria occurs in cats receiving long-term glucocorticoid and/or ciclosporin for management of chronic disease.Animals -Thirty two cats treated with parenteral glucocorticoids and/or oral glucocorticoids and/or ciclosporin were included.Methods -Thirty two cats receiving oral glucocorticoids and/or ciclosporin for at least three months or at least two injections of long-acting glucocorticoids within the preceding six months were evaluated. Thirty four healthy cats were used as a control group. Urinalysis and urine culture was performed on urine samples collected by cystocentesis from each cat.Results -In the glucocorticoid/ciclosporin group, none of 32 cats had a positive urine culture. In the control group, one of 34 cats had a positive urine culture. There were no statistically significant differences between the urinalyses from either group.Conclusions and Clinical importance -There was no evidence to suggest that administration of long-term glucocorticoids and/or ciclosporin is associated with bacteriuria in cats.

A four-year-old female spayed mongrel dog was presented in May 2015 with a two-year history of poorly controlled atopic dermatitis (AD) and increased pruritus over the last few months. Current medications included Apoquel, prednisone, diphenhydramine and cephalexin. A deep skin scrape revealed Demodex canis and Demodex cornei and superficial cytology revealed coccoid bacteria. Aerobic skin culture revealed meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP) and dermatophyte culture grew Microsporum canis. Therapy included discontinuation and taper of immunosuppressive medications, oral enrofloxacin and ivermectin and Malaseb shampoo. Complete resolution of demodicosis, dermatophytosis and MRSP was accomplished in four months. Long-term control of AD was established by using low-dose prednisone therapy with no relapse in infectious disease. This case illustrates the risk of development of multiple infectious diseases secondary to immunosuppression with multimodal drug therapy for treatment of AD, and it exemplifies the importance of performing in-house diagnostic testing.