Effectiveness of a Modified Administration Protocol for the Medical Treatment of Feline Pyometra.

Vet Sci. September 2022;9(10):.

Simona Attard¹, Roberta Bucci², Salvatore Parrillo³, Maria Carmela Pisu⁴

¹ Palermovet-Centro Diagnostico Veterinario, 90125 Palermo, Italy.; ² Animals Theriogenology Service, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Piano d'Accio, 64100 Teramo, Italy.; ³ Animals Theriogenology Service, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Piano d'Accio, 64100 Teramo, Italy.; ⁴ VRC-Centro di Referenza Veterinario, 10138 Torino, Italy.

Abstract

Pyometra is a common uterine disease of dogs and cats, typical of the luteal phase. Traditionally, ovariohysterectomy was considered the elective treatment for pyometra, but in some cases, such as breeding subjects or patients with a high anesthesiologic risk, medical treatment is preferred. Aglepristone is a progesterone receptor blocker and its use proved to be effective for the medical treatment of pyometra in bitches and queens. The aim of this work is to report the effectiveness, in the feline species, of a modified aglepristone administration protocol. Five intact queens were referred to veterinary care centers for pyometra. Aglepristone (15 mg/kg) was administered at D0, D2, D5, and D8, as described by Contri and collaborators for dogs. An antibiotic treatment (marbofloxacin, 3 mg/kg) was associated, and uterine conditions were checked with regular ultrasonographic exams. The uterus returned to its normal condition 10 days after starting the treatment and no adverse effects were reported. After treatment, three queens had an uneventful pregnancy. Even if the treated group was restricted and homogeneous, the proposed modified protocol proved to be useful and promising for the medical treatment of pyometra in cats; further studies are planned to verify its effectiveness in the long-term prevention of recurrence.

Keywords

aglepristone; cat; modified treatment; pyometra;

Article Tools:

Medline

Email to me

Archives Highlights:

Head tilt in 6 Ankole-Watusi cattle (Bos taurus ankole) with chronic exudative cornual sinusitis.
Clinically, 4 of the 6 cases had concurrent otitis at the time of initial clinical observation. Medical management was the standard across all cases with limited surgical success in 2 cases. Due to intractable and progressive clinical signs despite treatment attempts, euthanasia and postmortem examinations were performed.

Endoparasites of rabbits and hares.
Accurate gross and microscopic identification of endoparasites in rabbits and hares is an important element of the diagnostic work of veterinary anatomic pathologists. Given the zoonotic nature of rabbit and hare endoparasites, such as C. hepatica, E. cuniculi, and others, veterinary pathologists are ideally poised to make valuable contributions to the understanding of the disease ecology of these pathogens in the context of a One Health research program.

Litter box size and litter type preference and their associated behavioral changes in cats.
Our findings indicated that cats preferred litter boxes measuring ≥50 cm as well as clumping clay litter. Moreover, a comfortable litter environment combining these two elements promoted normal urination behavior while improving house-soiling (both urination and defecation).

Effective treatment with afoxolaner (NexGard) of Trixacarus caviae in a pet guinea pig.
The animal was treated with a single oral dose of 2.50 mg/kg afoxolaner, and the lesions, presence/absence of mites, and intensity of pruritus were evaluated periodically until 2 months post-treatment. A week after the medication, the lesions were milder, but pruritus was still present and was attributed to the healing process. Further examinations showed significant improvement with the complete remission of clinical signs and no mites at the microscopic examination after 4 weeks.

Duration of efficacy and effect of implant location in adult queens treated with a 9.4 mg deslorelin subcutaneous implant.
The average duration of action of the 9.4 mg deslorelin implant was 790 ± 155 days (range 525-1140 days) with no significant difference in duration or efficacy depending on implantation sites. The 9.4 mg deslorelin implant causes pharmacological sterilization for about 2 years in female cats, is fully reversible, and caused no clinically relevant side effects when administered at both interscapular and periumbilical sites.