These results indicated that plasma creatinine, urea nitrogen, inorganic phosphate, packed cell volume and urine protein/creatinine ratio were associated with death within one month and urine protein/creatinine ratio was most likely to be associated with mortality in cats with chronic renal failure.

ABSTRACT. Benazepril (BP), an angiotensin convertive enzyme inhibitor, was administered orally once daily for 4 weeks to 31 dogs with mild to moderate (NYHA functional classes II and III) congestive heart failure caused from mitral insufficiency (MI). There were no significant changes in clinical signs, electrocardiogram findings, radiographical observations and plasma biochemical results in 11 dogs treated with placebo for 4 weeks. In 31 dogs treated with BP, appetite increased, and mean scores of heart failure signs, such as activity, exercise tolerance, cough and respiratory effort, were significantly improved. No dog displays signs suggesting systemic hypotension. One dog died suddenly on the 26th day of treatment with BP. This dog had good vigor and appetite till the evening before the death, and cough and exercise tolerance had been gradually improving. The heart rate and ECG parameters of BP treated dogs did not change significantly, but length of long axis of the heart decreased. In plasma biochemical tests, plasma urea nitrogen (UN) levels did not change significantly, and plasma creatinine (CRE) levels increased slightly within the normal ranges during BP trial. Two dogs had higher plasma UN levels with slightly higher plasma CRE levels, but had normal general condition and other biochemical results. Plasma ACE activity decreased to 57.3% of pre-treatment level at 4 weeks after BP treatment. It is concluded that BP monotherapy was efficacious at least in dogs with relatively low grade congestive heart failure caused by MI. -KEY WORDS: ACE inhibitor, benazepril, canine, congestive heart failure, mitral insufficiency.

ABSTRACT. For genotyping of feline major histocompatibility complex (FLA) class II DRB, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) method using group-specific primers was tried. Sixty-six DRB genes were classified into 8 groups according to differences in the first 5' amino acid sequences. The group-specific primers were designed as forward ones, which were specific for 5' base sequences of genes in each group. Three to 7 appropriate restricted enzymes were selected by computer analysis for RFLP typing of the genes divided into each group. In 6 out of 9 cats, the results of DRB typed by direct sequence method agreed with results of the PCR-RFLP method using group-specific primers. In the other 3 cats, the number of genes amplified by group-specific primers was 1 or 2 more than those detected by direct sequence method. The direct sequence method in 9 cats identified 5 new FLA-DRB genes. The PCR-RFLP method using group-specific primers could divide 66 genes into 37 genes and 10 subgroups from the RFLP pattern. One to 6 genes in each cat, and a total of 203 genes and subgroups were detected in 68 domestic cats. The genes detected might be biased to the subgroup G1-1a (28.8%), DRB*0501 (10.3%), G1-2a (9.4%) and G6b (7.4%). The PCR-RFLP method using group-specific primers may be useful in typing FLA class II DRB. KEY WORDS: feline, FLA class II DRB genotyping, group-specific primer, PCR-RFLP method.J. Vet. Med. Sci. 62(12): 1283-1289, 2000 Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules are heterodimeric glycoproteins involved in the regulation of the immune responses [21]. Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II genes consist of various components, DR, DP, DQ and etc. [11]. However, the structure of feline MHC (FLA) class II has not been well established, and only DR genes have been detected at the present time [29]. The DRB gene which encodes the β chain of DR molecule is the most polymorphic in class II genes in humans [13], pigs [8] and dogs [3]. Polymorphism of DRB gene accumulates at the second exon, which encodes the first extracellular domain, β 1 domain of the DR β chain [10]. The type of DRB gene is associated with the result of mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) [1], percent of 1-year renal graft survival [22], as well as susceptibility to autoimmune diseases [21,25] in humans. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-sequence specific oligonucleotide probe (SSOP) method or PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) method has been used commonly to distinguish the genotypes of MHC class II [9,11]. It has also been reported that digestions of PCR products by some restriction endonucleases after the PCR for grouping of alleles by group-specific primers (modified PCR-RFLP method combined with group-specific primers) were used for genotyping of human DRB1 [16].Chronic renal failure (renal sclerosis) is one of the frequent and important diseases in feline medicine. The basic therapies for this failure are fluid therapy, and administrations of antibiotics, steroids,...

SUMMARYThe clinical significance of plasma leptin concentration was examined in 45 obese dogs. Significantly higher than those in 28 control dogs, the obese dogs' plasma leptin concentrationswere correlated closely with body weight; chest size; abdominal size; relative chest girth (chest size/bodylength); relative abdominal girth (abdominal size/body length); chest/abdominal-size ratio; WBC count; and plasmaconcentrations of total protein, albumin, total cholesterol, triglyceride, and insulin. Plasma leptinconcentrations may be indices of obesity and nutritional condition in dogs.

A skin biopsy was performed to the cat with erythema, scale, alopecia distributing from back to hip and erosion around eyes. Histopathological examination on the skin biopsy specimen suggested systemic lupus erythematosus as one of differential diagnoses. Antinuclear antibody and severe proteinuria with urinary casts were detected. By renal biopsy, membranous nephropathy was histopathologically diagnosed.