Jelena Francuski Andrić

African pygmy hedgehogs (APHs) are increasingly kept as companion animals, yet evidence-based nutritional recommendations for this species remain limited. Commercial cat or kitten diets are still commonly used by owners and veterinarians in practice, despite being formulated exclusively for domestic cats rather than for hedgehogs with omnivorous–insectivorous feeding habits. This cross-sectional study evaluated the association between dietary regimen and serum biochemical parameters associated with renal function in APHs. Blood samples were collected from 19 client-owned APHs aged 12–68 months: 10 hedgehogs fed a commercial kitten diet and 9 fed a commercial APH-specific diet. Serum concentrations of blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, phosphorus, and calcium were measured, and the nutritional composition of the two diets was compared using manufacturer declarations and targeted laboratory analyses. Hedgehogs fed the commercial kitten diet had significantly higher serum blood urea nitrogen (p = 0.0133), creatinine (p = 0.0279), and phosphorus (p = 0.0279) concentrations than those fed the APH-specific diet, whereas serum calcium concentrations did not differ significantly (p = 0.3846). These differences occurred despite similar dietary phosphorus content, while the commercial kitten diet had higher declared fat and lower fiber content. The findings suggest that dietary regimen may be associated with alterations in renal biochemical profiles in APHs and support the use of species-appropriate diets in clinical practice.

Working horses often develop distinct patterns of joint degeneration, yet research in this population remains limited. This study aimed to characterize degenerative changes in the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) and metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joints of Serbian Mountain Horses using computed tomography (CT) and to explore their associations with synovial fluid (SF) biomarkers. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted on 32 MCP/MTP joints from eight clinically sound horses. Postmortem, joints underwent CT imaging, and SF samples were analyzed for viscosity, protein content, total nucleated cell count (TNCC), and oxidative stress biomarkers, along with matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity. Subchondral sclerosis was present in all joints, occurring more frequently in horses aged less than nine years. Osteophytosis was observed in two-thirds of joints, and its severity correlated significantly with body weight. Both changes were localized on the medial and lateral condyles and were associated with elevated TNCC, while osteophytosis was linked to increased total oxidant status and oxidative stress index. Relatively low levels of β-hydroxybutyrate appear as a main interactive factor for both changes. No associations were found with MMP activity. These findings indicate that clinically sound working horses commonly exhibit early degenerative joint changes accompanied by mild increases in TNCC and oxidative stress biomarkers.

A one-year-old female Toy poodle was referred for seizures, phantom scratching behind the right ear, and inability to jump. An intracranial and cervical spinal cord disorder was suspected. The cerebrospinal fluid analysis showed pleocytosis, increased total proteins, serum amyloid A (SAA), and lactate concentration, low albumin ratio, increased lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity, and no active forms of matrix metalloproteinase (MMPs). Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and cervical part of the spinal cord revealed caudal cerebellar tonsil herniation and a syrinx formation between the C2 and C7 parts of the spinal cord. Chiari-like malformation (CM) and Syringomyelia (SM) as the result of a CM was diagnosed. Histopathology verified the presence of syrinxes in the dorsal region of the spinal cord, with and without connection to the central canal. For the first time, SAA, MMPs, lactate, and LDH were measured in CSF of dogs with CMSM, suggesting a potential link to central nervous system inflammation.

Cranial cruciate ligament rupture is one of the most common causes of osteoarthritis in dogs. Surgical stabilization is obligatory and tibial plateau levelling osteotomy (TPLO) is the most commonly used surgical technique. Studies on the long-term monitoring of matrix metallo-proteinases (MMPs) and acute-phase proteins are limited, especially those with parallel monitoring of changes in the serum, synovial fluid (SF) and urine. We aimed to describe long-term changes in 1) MMPs: gelatinases and caseinases, 2) APPs: ceruloplasmin, haptoglobin and paraoxonase-1, and 3) the correlation of MMPs in the serum, SF and urine with lameness in dogs 2 and 6 months undergoing TPLO. From 17 dogs diagnosed with cranial cruciate ligament rupture, sera, SF and urine samples were collected preoperative 2 and 6 months after the surgery. Relative activity (RA) of MMPs was measured in all samples using zymography. Acute-phase proteins were measured in the serum and SF using spectrophotometry and agarose gel electrophoresis. Relative activity of MMPs in serum was not change at different sampling points. In SF, a marked decrease in MMPs RA was evident, however, only RA of caseinases was significantly reduced during the recovery period. In urine, RA of caseinases was positively correlated with the lameness score with decreasing activity trend during time. Serum and synovial acute-phase proteins were not changed after surgery, which was consistent with the agarose gel analyses. Decreased activity of caseinases pointed to reduced degradation of extracellular matrix after TPLO. Synovial and urine caseinases are potential biomarkers in predicting the recovery outcome following stifle stabilization.

Information on the prevalence of the most popular breeds within one society can provide insights into its sociological, economic, and anthropological aspects, while also aiding in the organization of more effective veterinary services and improving animal welfare. This research aimed to determine whether there has been a change in dog breed ownership between the Serbian capital city, Belgrade (BG), and non-Belgrade (non-BG) regions over the last 15 years, for three five-year periods: 2008?2012, 2013? 2017, and 2018?2022. Data on breed prevalence were collected from the official Vetup database of the Republic of Serbia. Mixed-breed dogs were the most prevalent in both BG and non-BG regions across all three periods, though their percentage has declined in the most recent period relative to purebred dogs. In the first period, large working/ guardian breeds dominated in all regions. German Shepherds consistently ranked as the most prevalent purebred dogs across all periods and regions. In contrast, Maltese dogs emerged as the most prevalent breed in Belgrade during the two most recent periods. In 2013?2017, other small breeds began to emerge, and in the third period, they dominated the BG region, while larger breeds remained more common in non- BG regions. These changes may reflect lifestyle changes and urban preferences for smaller breeds better suited to apartment living. These trends reflect dog ownership preferences, shaped by lifestyle changes and socio-economic factors in urban and rural areas, while also aligning with global patterns but probably retaining unique traits of local patterns.

The anthelmintic macrocyclic lactones (MLs) are the most important endectocides in modern pharmacotherapy of parasitic infections. However, during the COVID 19 pandemic, ivermectin was used in humans against infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus in doses significantly higher than the approved antiparasitic doses. This kind of application was created solely on the basis of in vitro tests, and is not officially approved in any country in the world. Therefore, we conducted a study on rats treated orally with 0.6, 1.2, 2.4 and 4.8 mg/kg of ivermectin for 5 days. Based on our investigation, ivermectin at the doses used in humans against the SARS-Co-2 virus (3, 6, 12 and 24 times higher than the antiparasitic dose 0.2mg/kg), causes changes in red blood cell counts and increases the levels of liver enzymes without visible clinical symptoms. Histopathological changes were recorded in the liver, kidneys and testicles of rats, and the highest dose tested led to bleeding in the brain tissue. Obviously, ivermectin somewhat increases concentration of the enzyme P-450 isoform 3A4, whose substrate it is, but the highest tested dose reduces its concentration in plasma to the control level. Notably, the concentrations of ivermectin recorded in plasma of treated rats, indicate that even high doses do not reach the in vitro IC50 value of ivermectin for SARS-CoV-2 reported in the literature. On the other hand, the concentrations of ivermectin in the brain approach the values that can manifest extremely toxic effects described in humans.

Osteoarthritis (OA) in horses often affects the metacarpal/metatarsophalangeal (MCP/MTP) joints and its detection in the early stages is crucial for effective management. I t was hypothesized that the extent of cartilage damage positively correlates with synovial membrane (SM) and synovial fluid (SF) pathological findings in the MCP/MTP joints of Serbian mountain horses that transported heavy loads but did not show signs of lameness. The study was conducted on 32 MCP/MTP joints of eight horses between seven to 12 years of age. Horse limbs were transferred from the abattoir to the necropsy room and SF was sampled. Its appearance, total nucleated cell count (TNCC), mononuclear cell count (MNC), total proteins (TP), and haptoglobin (Hp) were determined. Samples of SM were collected from the dorsal palmar/plantar pouch for histology. A macroscopic examination of gross condylar pathology of the third metacarpal/metatarsal bone was performed with Indian Ink staining. Scoring was done based on Osteoarthritis Research Society International recommendations. SF was clear, pale yellow, and mostly fairly viscous. Half of the samples had TNCC above, and all had TP within the reference range. Hp values were below the reference range and were omitted from further analyses. TNCC correlated with MNC (ρs=0.81, P<0.001), microscopic (ρs=0.62, P=0.003) and macroscopic scores (ρs=0.47, P=0.008). In addition, MNC correlated with macroscopic scores (ρs=0.40, P=0.03). All pathological findings were mild and their correlation indicated that these processes are interrelated and that could be ascribed to early OA.

Acute B. canis infection can lead to an acute phase reaction (APR) in dogs. The parasite invades red blood cells causing anemia through immune-mediated hemolysis and possible erythropoietic suppression. A regenerative response of the erythroid lineage during the babesiosis has not been described in extension. This research examines hematologic parameters focusing on the absolute reticulocyte count and apolipoprotein A I (ApoA I) level on the day of admission and 14 days after treatment with imidocarb-dipropionate in young (n=11) and adult (n=11) dogs naturally infected with B. canis . Metabolic and inflammatory processes were characterized by analyzing protein and lipid profiles, as well as ApoA I at specified time points. Automated analyzers were used to determine complete blood count and biochemical parameters, while ApoA I was assessed using radioimmunoassay. The reticulocyte count was determined using a manual method by means of supravital staining. Both young and adult dogs with acute B. canis infection showed non-regenerative anemia without difference. Fourteen days after successful treatment with imidocarb-dipropionate, the anemia was corrected and a high reticulocyte count was observed (pB. canis infection in dogs, but further studies are needed to connect its role in erythroid lineage regeneration.