Contents of Today's Veterinary Practice - JAN-FEB 2012

Today's Veterinary Practice provides comprehensive information to keep every small animal practitioner up to date on companion animal medicine and surgery as well as practice building and management.

Page 80 of 83

JOURNAL CLUB |
SMALL MAMMALS/EXOTICS
Mycoplasma pulmonis in Rats Graham JE, Schoeb TR. Journal of Exotic Pet Medicine
of pet
This article is an excellent review of a common disease rats, murine respiratory mycoplasmosis (MRM).
Incidence of this organism is high in both pet rat and wild rat populations. A number of factors increase disease severity, including nutritional deficiencies, poor husbandry,
immune
suppression due to other disease processes and concurrent infection with other viruses/bacteria, most specifically the Sialodacryoadenitis and Sendai viruses, and cilia-associated respiratory bacillus. Clinical signs may include: r 4OFF[JOH
r 5PSUJDPMMJT TFDPOEBSZ UP PUJUJT JOUFSOB r 8FJHIU MPTT r 3FTQJSBUPSZ EJTUSFTT r "NJOPHMZDPTJEFT r 5FUSBDZDMJOFT
CRITICAL POINTS r .VSJOF SFTQJSBUPSZ NZDPQMBTNPTJT JT B DISPOJD progressive respiratory disease that has variable signs and severity.
r .PTU JOGFDUJPOT FYJTU DPODVSSFOUMZ XJUI PUIFS bacterial and/or viral pathogens.
r %VF UP XJEFTQSFBE JODJEFODF NPTU DBTFT are diagnosed based on clinical presentation, although specific pathogen testing is available.
r 5SFBUNFOU JT HFBSFE UPXBSE DPOUSPM PG primary and secondary infectious agents and associated inflammation.
r /BTBM EJTDIBSHF r %FQSFTTJPO
Specific pathogen testing is available, but seldom performed. The authors suggest that pet rats presenting with signs
consistent with respiratory disease be treated for a mixed infection, with the assumption that MRM is a copathogen. Antibiotics commonly used to treat MRM include: r 'MVPSPRVJOPMPOFT
r $IMPSBNQIFOJDPM r .BDSPMJEFT Combination therapy is suggested, and is also recommended by this author (enrofloxacin, 10 mg/kg PO Q 12 H,
BOE EPYZDZDMJOF IZDMBUF NH LH 10 2 ) 4FWFSFMZ BGGFDUFE QBUJFOUT NBZ SFRVJSF QSPMPOHFE USFBUNFOU BOE NBZ frequently relapse. Other treatment options include low levels of short-acting steroids, nonsteroidal antiinflammatory agents, bronchodilators, and expectorants. Treatment via nebulization can also be considered.
Angela Lennox, DVM, Diplomate ABVP (Avian), Avian and Exotic Animal Clinic, Indianapolis, Indiana ENDOCRINOLOGY
Outcome of Radioactive Iodine Therapy in Cats Receiving Recent Methimazole Therapy Oman R, Lunn KF. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine
BCTUSBDU Radioactive iodine (131I) is commonly used for treatment
of hyperthyroidism in cats. In order to assess the effects of treatment on renal function, many cats receive methimazole prior to 131
I treatment. It has been suggested that recent
withdrawal of methimazole prior to 131I may: I treatment
r *ODSFBTF UIF SJTL PG IZQPUIZSPJEJTN r *OIJCJU UIF SFTQPOTF UP 131
within 1 day of methimazole discontinuation and 20 that had received 131 The serum T
hyperthyroid cats that received 131 *
UP
r )BWF OP FGGFDU This retrospective study reviewed the records of 60 I
* DBUT UIBU SFDFJWFE 131
PS NPSF EBZT BGUFS NFUIJNB[PMF XBT EJTDPOUJOVFE UIZSPYJOF DPODFOUSBUJPOT XFSF FWBMVBUFE
EBZT QPTU 131I treatment (see Table). These results
were compared with a Fisher's exact test and there was no difference between results. These findings indicate that discontinuing methimazole treatment within 1 day of 131
I treatment does not inhibit response to this therapy. Study Groups
5"#-& 5):309*/& $0/$&/53"5*0/4 50 %":4 1045 3"%*0"$5*7& *0%*/& 5)&3"1: Low T4
40 cats: Discontinued methimazole within 1 day of beginning 131 I therapy 14 cats: Discontinued methimazole 5 or more days prior to beginning 131I therapy Gregory F. Grauer, DVM, MS, Diplomate ACVIM (Small Animal Internal Medicine), Kansas State University January/February 2012 Today's Veterinary Practice 79 Normal T4 Elevated T4
CRITICAL POINTS r 5P BTTFTT UIF FGGFDUT PG 131
I on renal function,
many cats receive methimazole prior to 131 ment.
I treat-
r *U IBT CFFO TVHHFTUFE UIBU SFDFOU XJUIESBXBM (≤ 1 day) of methimazole prior to 131
might be detrimental to the cat's treatment.
r 5IF SFTVMUT PG UIJT TUVEZ Table) indicated that discontinuing methimazole in a 1-day time frame did not inhibit response to therapy.
I treatment
Collection of Commentaries on Veterinary, Medical, & Related Literature