Feline panleukopenia is a severe disease of cats caused by feline parvovirus (FPV), and marginally canine parvovirus (CPV). Despite being less rapid than CPV, FPV evolution deserves attention, especially since outbreaks of particular severity are currently reported. This apparently different virulence needs monitoring from genetic and clinical points of view. This manuscript explored FPV molecular epidemiology at both Italian and international levels and the possible association between viral phylogeny and disease severity. Sequences from clinical cases of feline panleukopenia in Italy were obtained from 2011 to 2019, and the etiological agent was characterized, distinguishing FPV from CPV. Phylogenetic and phylodynamic analyses were conducted on Italian and international sequences. Moreover, the association between the viral sequence and clinical variables was evaluated on a group of highly characterized patients. After its origin in the 1920s, FPV showed a constant population size until a more recent expansion since 2000. Few long-distance introduction events characterized FPV spreading, however, most of its evolution occurred locally. Although without a strong statistical association, several clinical variables appeared influenced by viral phylogeny, suggesting a differential virulence potentially characterizing FPV strains. These results stress the importance of the continuous study of viral evolution and its repercussions on the disease clinical aspects.

Serum sodium:potassium (Na:K) ratios are often reported in biochemical studies of dogs, although their value has not been assessed. The aims of this study were to identify diseases associated with a low Na:K ratio in dogs and to compare their prevalence with the prevalence in dogs from the same referral hospital with normal Na:K ratios. A total of 238 dogs with a Na:K ratio less than 27 were identified from medical records. Sample contamination with edta was suspected in 74 cases (31 per cent) and these and two cases that had been supplemented with potassium were removed from the analysis. The remaining 162 cases and 147 control dogs were divided into five categories depending on the organ system affected. Among the cases there were significantly more in the endocrine category than among the control dogs. Hypoadrenocorticism was the most single common cause of a low Na:K ratio and affected 27 (16·7 per cent) of the cases. Other clinical problems associated with low Na:K ratios included different urogenital, cardiorespiratory and gastrointestinal diseases.

Background Feline parvovirus (FPV) is a common and potentially lethal infectious agent in cats. Objective To assess the prognostic value of age, neuter status, serum concentrations of serum amyloid A (SAA), haptoglobin, cholesterol and total thyroxine (tT4), and the presence of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) in cats with panleukopenia. Animals Client‐owned cats with FPV infection diagnosed by a positive fecal ELISA test, positive PCR on feces or blood or both. Methods Retrospective cohort study. The electronic medical database was searched for cats with FPV infection presented between January 2010 and January 2018. Cats were divided into survivors and nonsurvivors according to their survival status 28 days after hospital admission. The prognostic importance of each variable was investigated univariately and by multivariable Cox's proportional‐hazards regression. Finally, receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to identify the best cutoff value for discriminating survivors from nonsurvivors for the statistically significant prognostic predictors identified by multivariable analysis. Results Seventy cats were enrolled in the study. Multivariable analysis determined that only serum tT4 concentration at hospital admission was significantly (P = .01) associated with survival. A cutoff value of 0.82 μg/dL was identified by ROC curve analysis for serum tT4 concentration in discriminating survivors from nonsurvivors. Sensitivity at this cutoff was 73.9% and specificity was 82.9% (area under the curve, 0.783; 95% confidence interval, 0.668‐0.873; P < .0001). Conclusion and Clinical Relevance Serum tT4 concentration at hospital admission has prognostic value in cats with FPV infection.

OBJECTIVE To determine whether dogs with immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA) had a low plasma mean platelet component (MPC) concentration and whether MPC was associated with outcome. DESIGN Retrospective case-control study and survival analysis. ANIMALS 95 dogs with IMHA (cases) as well as 95 healthy dogs and 95 sick dogs without IMHA (controls) matched to cases by age, reproductive status, and breed. PROCEDURES Plasma MPC concentration at initial examination was compared among groups. For dogs with IMHA only, sex, age, serum urea and bilirubin concentrations, Hct, platelet count, and plasma fibrinogen, D-dimer, and MPC concentrations were evaluated for associations with survival to 42 days after initial examination. RESULTS Plasma MPC concentration was significantly lower in dogs with IMHA than in the other 2 dog groups. In dogs with IMHA, plasma MPC concentration was the only factor significantly associated with outcome. The optimal plasma MPC concentration cutoff value for predicting nonsurvival of dogs with IMHA was 19.1 g/dL; values ≤ 19.1 g/dL were associated with nonsurvival. Likewise, the survival curve for dogs with plasma MPC concentrations ≤ 19.1 g/dL differed significantly from that for dogs with values > 19.1 g/dL. The mean estimated risk of death for dogs with IMHA decreased by 16% for every unit increase in plasma MPC concentration. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE In dogs with IMHA, platelets appeared to have been activated to a greater degree, as determined by lower plasma MPC concentrations, than in healthy dogs or sick dogs without IMHA. Plasma MPC concentration at initial examination may be useful for predicting prognosis in dogs with IMHA.