1. Investigación

PRGF®-Endoret® se caracteriza por una concentración moderada de PLT y la ausencia de glóbulos rojos y leucocitos. El objetivo de este trabajo es estandarizar un protocolo de obtención de PRP para el gato y estudiar cómo la presencia de enfermedades virales como la leucemia (FeLV) y la inmunodeficiencia felina (VIF) podrían influir en su calidad y composición. Se incluyeron en el estudio 30 gatos sanos y se recogieron 3 tubos de 9 ml de sangre y se centrifugaron siguiendo diferentes protocolos: 255 g, 260 gy 265 g durante 10 minutos. Los resultados demostraron que el proceso de centrifugación a 265 g durante 10 minutos logró una concentración óptima de PLT, sin presencia de leucocitos. Respecto al VPM, fue significativamente mayor en la sangre basal que en las fracciones PRP y PPP. Las concentraciones de PDGF-BB y TGF-ß1 fueron estadísticamente mayores en la fracción PRP que en la fracción PPP. Posteriormente, se aplicó el protocolo estandarizado a 11 gatos positivos para FeLV y 16 gatos positivos para FIV. La concentración de PLT en gatos FeLV no alcanzó el mínimo requerido por la tecnología PRGF®-Endoret®, sin embargo, los valores se acercaron a los de gatos sanos. Por otro lado, el protocolo estandarizado no fue reproducible en gatos FIV.

Background: Patient safety is essential in small animal anaesthesia. Thisstudy aimed to assess anaesthesia-related deaths in cats worldwide, identifyrisk and protective factors and provide insights for clinical practice.Methods: A prospective multicentre cohort study of 14,962 cats from198 veterinary centres across different countries was conducted. Data onanaesthesia-related deaths, from premedication up to 48 hours postex-tubation, were collected. Logistic regression was used to analyse patientdemographics, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification,procedure type and anaesthetic drugs.Results: The anaesthesia-related mortality was 0.63%, with 74.5% of deathsoccurring postoperatively. Cats with cachexia, a higher ASA status or whounderwent abdominal, orthopaedic/neurosurgical or thoracic proceduresexhibited elevated mortality. Mechanical ventilation use was associated withincreased mortality. Mortality odds were reduced by the use of alpha2 -agonistsedatives, pure opioids in premedication and locoregional techniques.Limitations: Limitations include non-randomised sampling, potentialbiases, unquantified response rates, subjective death cause classification andlimited variable analysis.Conclusions: Anaesthetic mortality in cats is significant, predominantlypostoperative. Risk factors include cachexia, higher ASA status, specificprocedures and mechanical ventilation. Protective factors include alpha2 -agonist sedatives, pure opioids and locoregional techniques. These findingscan help improve anaesthesia safety and outcomes. However, further researchis required to improve protocols, enhance data quality and minimise risks.

Free-living cats usually live in colonies in urban areas, especially close to parks and neighbourhoods where people feed them without any sanitary control. This can pose a human, animal and environmental health concern due to the close contact between uncontrolled colonies, the population and other domestic and/or wild animals. Thus, this study aimed to assess the genetic diversity and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica strains isolated from feral cats in a previous epidemiological study in the Gran Canaria island (Spain). A total of nineteen Salmonella isolates were obtained from November 2018 to January 2019 in a Salmonella epidemiological study in feral cats. All isolates obtained were genotyped by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PGFE) and were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility, in accordance with Decision 2013/652/EU. PFGE analysis revealed isolates clustering by serovar, with identical clones for serovars Bredeney and Grancanaria, while differing pulsotypes were observed for serovars Florida (88.89 % similarity) and Nima (83.23 % similarity). All but two isolates were resistant to at least one antimicrobial. The results obtained demonstrate that feral cats in the region investigated are a reservoir of Salmonella strains resistant to gentamicin (94.1 %) and of the critically important antimicrobial tigecycline (23.5 %). Hence, they could excrete AMR strains through their faeces and contaminate the environment, favoring the spread of such bacteria to cohabiting pets. Moreover, this widespread presence of AMR Salmonella clones across various serovars highlights the urgent need to implement efficient antimicrobial stewardship and control programs by the local governments due to the ongoing need to protect human and animal health under a One Health concept.

Los estudios publicados sobre la morbilidad y mortalidad asociadas con la anestesia en gatos así como la farmacología de agentes anestésicos inhalatorios forman la base para discutir algunos de los desafíos que los gatos presentan durante el mantenimiento de anestesia, encontrándose hoy en día muy por detrás de los resultados obtenidos con los perros. En el presente capítulo se va a tratar la valoración anestésica y la principal farmacología que se utiliza en la clínica diaria, y en el próximo, se expondrá el acto anestésico completo, la monitorización y principales complicaciones que se encontrarán durante la anestesia en esta especie.

Renal fibrosis is characterized by glomerulosclerosis and tubulointerstitial fibrosis and its pathoge-nesis is associated with the activity of mesenchymal cells (fibroblasts), being essentiallycharacterized by a process of excessive accumulation resulting from the deposition of extracellularmatrix components. The aim of this study was to characterize the morphological presentation ofchronic and fibrotic lesions in the glomerular, tubular, interstitial, and vascular compartments infeline CKD, as well as the possible participation of myofibroblasts in renal fibrotic processes in thisspecies. Cat kidneys were collected and processed according to the conventional techniques forlight microscopy, circular polarization, immunohistochemistry, and electron microscopy. Fibroticalterations were present in all compartments analyzed. The main findings in the glomerular com-partment were different degrees of glomerular sclerosis, synechia formation, Bowman’s capsulecalcification, in addition to glomerular basement membrane thickening and pericapsular fibrosis.The tubulointerstitial compartment had intense tubular degeneration and the immunostaining intubular cells for mesenchymal cell markers demonstrated the possibility of mesenchymal epithelialtransition and consequent involvement of myofibroblasts in the development of interstitial tubuledamage. Infiltration of inflammatory cells, added to vessel thickening and fibrosis, demonstratedthe severity and role of inflammation in the development and perpetuation of damage. Thus, wemay conclude that fibrotic lesions play a relevant role in feline CKD and the mechanism of perpet-uation of these lesions need further elucidation regarding the origin and participation ofmyofibroblasts and consequent mesenchymal epithelial transition in this species.

Autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) contains growth factors (GFs) that modulate the expression of inflammatory cells; thus, these products could be considered a good strategy to favor tissue regeneration in feline immunodeficiency (FIV) positive cats. However, there is no scientific documentation on obtaining PRP in FIV-positive cats. Authors hypothesized that PRP can be obtained in FIV cats following the PRGF®-Endoret® methodology. The objectives of this study were to compare the platelet, erythrocyte, and leukocyte concentration between whole blood (WB) and the PRP; and determine the concentration of platelet-derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB) and transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) in FIV-positive cats. Sixteen adults FIV-positive asymptomatic cats were included in the study. WB samples were drawn and the PRP was obtained by centrifugation at 265g for 10 min. Erythrocyte and leukocyte, platelets, and mean platelet volume (MPV) were determined both in WB and in PRP. PDGF-BB and TGF-β1 concentrations were additionally determined in PRP. Platelet concentration increased 1.1 times in PRP fraction compared to WB, but no significant differences were reported. MPV was statistically higher in WB than in PRP (p = 0.001). Erythrocytes and leukocytes counts were decreased by 99% and 92%, respectively in the PRP fraction (p < 0.001). Regarding TGF-ß1, a higher concentration was shown in the PRP (p < 0.02). Although the product obtained could not be classified as PRP according to the PRGF®-Endoret® methodology, based on the drastic reduction of RBC and WBC, the PLT concentrate is of high purity.

Failure in antibiotic therapies due to the increase in antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) bacteria is one of the main threats to public and animal health. In recent decades, the perception of companion animals has changed, from being considered as a work tool to a household member, creating a family bond and sharing spaces in their daily routine. Hence, the aim of this study is to assess the current epidemiological situation regarding the presence of AMR and multidrug resistance (MDR) in companion animals in the Valencia Region, using the indicator bacteria Escherichia coli as a sentinel. For this purpose, 244 samples of dogs and cats were collected from veterinary centres to assess antimicrobial susceptibility against a panel of 22 antibiotics with public health relevance. A total of 197 E. coli strains were isolated from asymptomatic dogs and cats. The results showed AMR against all the 22 antibiotics studied, including those critically important to human medicine. Moreover, almost 50% of the strains presented MDR. The present study revealed the importance of monitoring AMR and MDR trends in companion animals, as they could pose a risk due to the spread of AMR and its resistance genes to humans, other animals and the environment they cohabit.

Introduction: Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) is a chronic disease that leads to the weakening of a cat's immune system. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) offers therapeutic effects for multiple diseases, the use of PRP and growth factors (GFs) determination could be an alternative treatment to improve the quality of life in these patients. The objectives of this study were to determine and compare the concentration of platelets (PLTs), red blood cells (RBCs) and white blood cells (WBCs) between samples of whole blood (WB), PRP and platelet-poor plasma (PPP) fractions, and to evaluate the concentration of platelet-derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB) and transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) in both fractions in FeLV cats using a PRGF®-Endoret® protocol previously standardized in this species. Methods: WB was collected from 11 asymptomatic FeLV-positive cats. PRP and PPP was obtained following PRGF®-Endoret® technology according to centrifugation at 265 g for 10 min. Cellular components, RBCs, WBCs, PLTs, and the PDGF-BB and TGF-β1 concentrations in PRP and PPP fractions were determined. Results: PLT in the PRP fraction was statistically higher than WB and PPP fraction, with no statistical differences between WB and PPP. PLT concentration increased 1.4 times in PRP fraction compared to WB. Mean platelet volume (MPV) did not differ significantly between the WB, PRP, and PPP fractions. Compared to WB, the absolute numbers of RBCs and WBCs were decreased by 99% and more than 95% in the PRP and PPP fractions, respectively. TGF-ß1 concentrations increased in PRP vs. PPP, with no changes in PDGF-BB. Discussion: Based on the degree of PLT enrichment and the absence of RBCs and WBCs, this blood product could be classified as a Pure Platelet-Rich Plasma (P-PRP). The presence of GFs in PRP and PPP samples suggests that the PRGF®-Endoret® methodology is suitable for obtaining PRP in FeLV cats, despite future studies are necessary to optimize the technique, standardize the results and assess clinical efficacy.