Cats Lecture

What are cats good research models for?

Research models for neurology involved in locomotion and spinal trauma, retrovirus and zoonotic dz, developing tx for inherited dzs

Retrovirus research regarding cats

Models of Human AIDS and Potential Viral Vectors for Vaccine Delivery

FFV research in cats

generally asymptomatic and vehicle for gene therapy delivery

FeLV research in cats

Can cause fulminant dz and immunodeficiency/death or can be controlled and all but eliminated.

Studied to understand retroviral induced immunodeficiency, particularly hematopoietic tumors like acute lymphoblastic leukemia and lymphoma; following FeLV infection, some cats become persistently viremic and excrete virus through saliva and nasal secretions

What viruses in cats are models for HIV and AIDS?

FELV and FIV

Which helicobacter species can cats be naturally infected by?

H. pylori, and H. felis

Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Research and Cats

• Preferred species for investigating SCI – small size, spinal cord is similar in length and anatomy to humans

• SCI model – create a lesion in spinal cord at last thoracic segment (T13)/ cats can regain normal locomotion showing that the spinal cord has intrinsic circuitry that generates locomotion

Cats and sleep research

• Popular sleep models – adult cats sleep up to 2/3rds of time, small size, gentle disposition

• Model of obstructive sleep apnea – cats are habituated to sleeping in hammock in various neck positions and to wear a CPAP (contiguous positive airway pressure)

Cats and parkinson’s

• Can be induced using 1-methyl-4-henul-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP); cats can recover unlike humans

• Cat MPTP model proposed as model of sleep disorders in Parkinson’s dz

Feline Genomics and Inherited Feline Dzs as Models of Human Dzs: CNS

Cats used to study CNS and cat brain has similar anatomy to human  good model for gene therapy trials for neurological disorders like lysosomal storage dz

Chediak-Higashi syndrome

Blue Persian, recessive, partial oculocutaneous albinism

Ehlers-Danlos syndrome Type II

Himalayan and Domestic Short Hair

Globoid Cell leukodystrophy

Aka Krabbe’s dz

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Main Coon cats

Klinefelter’s syndrome

XXY, Male Torti’s

MPS 1 (Mucopolysaccharidosis type 1)

-Is a Lysosomal storage disease cased by deficiency of alpha-L-iduronidase.

-The cat resembles the Hurler-Scheie syndrome in people. 

-Clinically it is characterized by corneal clouding, facial dysmorphia, mental retardation (difficult to assess in animals), joint abnormalities, cardiovascular disease, and early death

Polycystic Kidney Dz

persian cats

Sphingomyelin lipidosis or Niemann-Pick Dz, type C

Siamese cats

Waardenburg’s syndrome

Autosomal dominant, irideal heterochromasia (2 different colored eyes), white fur, deaf

What condition is this and what breed of cat is it commonly seen in?

Waardenburg’s syndrome,

Neutrophils with large granules is commonly seen with which condition in cats?

Chediak-Higashi syndrome

What is the condition commonly seen in what breed of cat?

Endocardial fibroelastosis in burmese cats

What condition is this and what breed is predisposed?

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in main coon cats

What disease is seen here and what breeds are predisposed?

Ehlers danlos syndrome in himalayans and domestic short hairs

Similar pancreatic anatomy between cats and humans?

Pancreatic duct has common outlet into the duodenum with the bile duct at the major duodenal papilla

Accessory pancreatic duct retains duodenal outlet at the minor duodenal papilla

What condition is this and what age group of humans are affected?

Esophageal Achalasia

Random source cats (Class B)

o Valuable for training vet students and for establishment of genetic models of human dz

o 8-12wk isolation and observation period needed to ID dz, eliminate parasites, and vaccinate

o Non conditioned vs conditioned

Space requirements for cats

24” height, 3ft floor space <4kg, 4 ft floor space >4kg; queens with nursing need mor

Queens with nursing litters with other adults recommendations

Queens w/ nursing litters and kittens <4m shouldn’t be housed with other adults

Difference between AWA and guide for cat flooring requirements

AWA: Food/water pans NOT included in floor space. Litter pan included IF properly cleaned and sanitized. Resting surfaces count as floor space if so low that cat can’t occupy space below it

gUIDE: Food/water AND litter pans are NOT included in floor space

Same height and width requirements

Environmental factors for cats: temperature

64-84 F

Environmental factors for cats: noise

Continuous exposure >85 dB has auditory and non-auditory effects

Environmental factors for cats: light

325 lx (30 ft candles) 1 meter above floor is sufficient

Transport temperatures cats

not lower than 45ºF or higher than 85ºF for more than 4 consecutive hours when holding, or more than 45 minutes during transport

ventilation for cats: 2 walls opposing

at least 16% surface area of each wall and 14% total combined surface area of all walls

Ventilation for cats: 3 walls

8% of each opposing wall, 50% of the 3^rd wall, 14% total surface area

Ventilation for cats: 4 walls

8% of each wall, 14% total surface area

Ventilation for cats: 1 wall

90%

Ventilation should be at least 1/3 of ventilation in upper half of enclosure?

yes

Transport number: older than 6 months

1 per enclosure by air

Transport number: 8 wks - 6 months

2 per enclosure by air, must be < 20 lbs.

Transport number: < 8 wks old

If less than 8wks: unweaned d/c with dam or weaned littermates together without dam (commercial air, private air, or ground all same)

Transport private air or ground for over 8 wk old cats

4 d/c over 8wks in same enclosure by ground or private air

How often should water be pffered?

Water offered once every 12 hours

Cats over 16 wks and food

d/c over 16wks age food offered every 24 hours

Cats under 16 wks and food

d/c under 16 weeks food offered every 12 hours

Cats food and water prior to transport

Food/water must be offered within 4 hours prior to transport

What does conditioning mean?

The process whereby a newly arrived random source animal is rendered free of parasites and diseases and is acclimated to the laboratory environment.

How long does the BB recommend for conditioning?

8-12 weeks

Feline coronavirus characteristics

ss RNA, enveloped, Nucleocapsid/spike glycoproteins

The two most common types of feline coronavirus?

FIP and FECV

Can FECV cross protect for FIP?

No, they are antigenically distinct

Feline enteric coronavirus characteristics

Subclinical or self-limiting diarrhea; most severe in recently weaned

Endemic in many colonies

What cells does FIP replicate in?

macrophages

Population most affected by FIP clinically

young and old

Can diagnostics differentiate between FIP and FECV?

No

Can you treat FIP once clinical signs start?

No

What virus of cats can cause this presentation

FIP, effusive or wet worm. The effusive or wet form – there is acute vasculitis with pleural and/or peritoneal effusions. The abdomen becomes progressively distended but is nonpainful on palpation. The volume of fluid is reflective of the chronicity of the infection.

Wet form is more common.  Protein in fluid is very high (>35g/L); fluid cytology shows abundance of neutrophils and macrophages

What viral disease of cats can cause uveitis, hyphaema, and keratitis and systemic pyogranulomas

Non-efussive dry form of FIP.

The noneffusive form causes chronic pyogranulomatous disease.   Its more insidious, but as it progresses, organ specific signs will manifest due to the pyogranulomas.

((Typically the liver, kidneys, and in more severe disease the pancreas, CNS and eyes will be effected. A necrotizing uveitis may be the only clinical sign. CNS lesions are usually located in the choroid plexus and meninges and they typically occur together with ocular lesions. ))      

NO treatment once clinical signs are present.  No diagnostic test available to differentiate FIP from FECV

Characteristics of feline panleukopenia virus

ssDNA, non-enveloped parvovirus. Persists in environment up to 1 yr, resists heat and many disinfectants

Shed in all body secretions

Fever, depression, anorexia, vomiting, diarrhea, cerebellar hypoplasia, leukopenia, fetal death, infertility, abortion, mummified fetuses

Tx: Supportive care, vaccination

Feline viral rhinotracheitis characteristics

DNA, enveloped, Alpha-herpes virus, Shed in ocular, nasal, pharyngeal secretions

Clinical signs of FHV

Conjunctivitis, keratitis, corneal ulcers, sneezing, fever, depression

80% of recovered cats become carriers

Diagnosis and treatment of FHV

Dx: Serology, PCR, virus isolation

Tx: Supportive care, antibiotics, antivirals (keratitis)

Vaccination (ML, IN) at 6, 9, 12 weeks

Feline calicivirus characteristics

Ss RNA, non-enveloped

Persists 8-10 days in environment

Transmitted by direct contact via nasal and ocular secretions

Calicivirus clinical signs

Fever, depression, sneezing, nasal discharge, oral and lingual ulcers, limping syndrome

Calicivirus diagnosis, treatment and prevention

Dx: PCR

Tx: Supportive care, antibiotics

Vaccination

What condition causes this pathology in cats?

Characteristics of Chlamydophila felis

Obligate intracellular parasite

Elementary bodies, intracytoplasmic inclusions

Chronic, relapsing, or latent infections

Shed in ocular discharge

What parasite is this?

Chlamydophila felis

Clinical signs, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of chlamydiosis in cats

Unilateral conjunctivitis, but can infect other eye within days

Dx: Conjunctival scrapings, culture, ELISA

Tx: Doxycycline

Vaccination may reduce severity and duration of signs

Mycoplasmosis in cats

Mycoplasma felis

Smallest free living microbe, lacks rigid cell wall

Considered commensal, but if recovered from lungs, considered pathogenic

Persistent conjunctivitis, sneezing, nasal discharge

Dx: Conjunctival scrapings, culture

Tx: Doxycycline

FeLV characteristics

ss RNA, enveloped, Type “C” virus

Replicates in BM, salivary glands, respiratory epithelium

Non-cytopathic, escapes cell by budding

Transmitted by saliva; lasts 48 hours in environment

What virus causes these syndromes in cats

FIV characteristics

ss RNA exogenous virus

Family Retroviridae, Subfamily Lentivirinae

Immunodeficiency

Replicates in CD4, CD8, possibly B cells

Incidence highest in outdoor free-roaming males

Transmission by bite wounds, in utero, nursing

What zoonotic organisms can be spread by cat bites?

Pasteurella multocida

Capnocytophaga canimorsus

Bartonella henselae 

What disease is this in cats?

liver fluke of cats

Platynosomum concinnum: 2 intermediate hosts: Land snails and lizards. Chronic inflammation and fibrosis of bile ducts

cat breeds predisposed to amyloidosis?

abysinnian- renal amyloidosis, siamese- hepatic amyloidosis

What diseases is being shown here?

Muscular dystrophy. Reduced dystrophin expression in a cat colony U of Missouri-Columbia Reduced level of activity, stiff gait, and general skeletal muscle hypertrophy (involving tongue and diaphragm)

What are the components of spina bifida?

Neural tube anomaly causing megacolon, fecal and urinary incontinence, uterine inertia, agenesis of the sacrum and agenesis of the coccygeal vertebrae, absence of cauda equina. 

What condition?

What are cats good models for in regards to surgery?

pediatric intubation in medical schools

Core vaccines for cats: FVRCP

Core vaccinations: FHV, FCV, FPV

< 16 weeks, one dose of modified live virus (MLV) FHV1, FCV, and FPV recommended every 3-4 weeks from 6-8 weeks of age, with final no sooner than 16 weeks of age

>16 weeks of age, two doses MLV FHV1, FCV, and FPV given 3-4 weeks apart

After a booster at one year, revaccination suggested every 3 years thereafter for cats at low risk of exposure.

According to recommendations of the vaccine-associated sarcoma task force, these vaccines are administered in the right forelimb below the elbow

Use of FPV MLV vaccines should be avoided in pregnant queens and kittens less than one month of age

Core Vaccine: rabies

Single dose of killed or recombinant vaccine at 12-16 weeks of age. Adult cats with unknown vaccination history should also receive a single dose of killed or recombinant vaccine

For recombinant vaccines, booster yearly

For the killed vaccines, booster is required at one year, and thereafter, rabies vaccination should be performed every 3 years using vaccine approved for 3-year dosing

According to recommendations of the vaccine-associated sarcoma task force, rabies vaccines are administered subcutaneously as distally as possible in the right rear limb.

Core vaccines: FELV

Protein requirements compared to dogs

require twice the amount compared to dogs

importance of taurine in diet

Decreased cysteinesulfinic acid decarboxylase

Bile acid conjugation

High levels in heart, retina, CNS, and skeletal muscle

Deficiency Þ retinal degeneration, reproductive failure, deformities, and mortality, and dilated cardiomyopathy

Most commercial diets have recommended levels but can administer taurine PO

Two most common dietary related diseases in cats

1. hepatic lipidosis

2. FLUTD

Hepatic lipidosis characteristics

Diet change or other stressor precipitates anorexic episode

Obese cats at higher risk

Severe hepatocellular lipid accumulation

Can be life-threatening

Gradually introduce new diet

FLUTD characteristics

Previously referred to as FUS

Most important factor = urine pH

Mg ammonium phosphate or struvite crystals form when urine pH > 6.5

Clinical signs include hematuria, dysuria, and pollakiuria

Management

Feed diets that acidify urine

Avoid diets high in Mg

Feed canned diets = high water content

Onset of puberty in cats

5-9 months of age

Body weight > 2 kg

Other factors

+10 more hours of light in a 24-h period required for reproduction cycle

Estrus cycle characteristics

seasonally polyestrus, photoperiod

Estrus cycle phases

5 Phases

Proestrus  1.5-3 days

Estrus  4-7 days

Interestrus  1-3 weeks

Diestrus  45-50 days

Anestrus  Oct-Dec/Induced by short days (8hr light)

breeding behaviour in cats

Queen goes to tomcats – female are polygamous  

Induced ovulators

HT releases GnRH ÞLH surge

Induced by:

Cervical and vagina stimulation

Human Chorionic gonadotropin

Pseudopregnancy or pregnancy