Biomedical subjects

Cheri A Johnson

Publications and source records attributed to Cheri A Johnson.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Serum alkaline phosphatase activity in Scottish Terriers versus dogs of other breeds.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether Scottish Terriers have higher serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities and a higher prevalence of diseases commonly associated with high serum ALP activity than do dogs of other breeds. DESIGN: Retrospective case-control study. ANIMALS: 85 Scottish Terriers and 340 age-matched control dogs that were not Scottish Terriers. PROCEDURE: Medical records were reviewed, and data for year of evaluation, age, sex, breed, serum ALP activity, and final diagnosis were recorded. RESULTS: Scottish Terriers had a significantly higher mean serum ALP activity than did control dogs (1,520 U/L vs 306 U/L). Regardless of breed, dogs that had a disease commonly associated with high serum ALP activity had a significantly higher mean serum ALP activity than did dogs without such diseases (1,304 U/L vs 427 U/L). Scottish Terriers were 2.4 times as likely to have a disease commonly associated with high serum ALP activity than were control dogs, but Scottish Terriers with diseases commonly associated with high serum ALP activity had a significantly higher mean ALP activity than did control dogs with such diseases (2,073 U/L vs 909 U/L), and Scottish Terriers without such diseases had a significantly higher mean serum ALP activity than did control dogs without such diseases (1,349 U/L vs 228 U/L). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggest that Scottish Terriers have higher serum ALP activities than do dogs of other breeds. Although Scottish Terriers also have a higher prevalence of diseases associated with high serum ALP activity, this alone did not explain the higher mean serum ALP activity in the breed.

Adrenocortical Hyperfunction↗

PubMed2005

Assessment of the dark-adaptation time required for recovery of electroretinographic responses in dogs after fundus photography and indirect ophthalmoscopy.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the duration of dark-adaptation time required for recovery of electroretinographic responses after fundus photography or indirect ophthalmoscopy in dogs. ANIMALS: 6 dogs. PROCEDURE: Initially, scotopic-intensity series of electroretinograms (ERGs) were recorded after 20 minutes of dark adaptation. The fundus of the left eye of each dog was photographed (n = 10) or examined via indirect ophthalmoscopy for 5 minutes with moderate- (117 candela [cd]/m2) or bright-intensity (1,693 cd/m2) light; ERGs were repeated after a further 20 or 60 minutes of dark adaptation (6 procedures/dog). RESULTS: Following 20 minutes of dark adaptation after fundus photography, the b- and a-wave amplitudes were reduced in response to brighter stimuli, compared with pretest ERGs; after 60 minutes of dark adaptation, ERG amplitudes had recovered. Following 20 minutes of dark adaptation after indirect ophthalmoscopy (moderate-intensity light), significantly lower b-wave amplitudes were recorded in response to 2 of the brighter flash stimuli, compared with pretest ERGs; after 60 minutes of dark adaptation, ERG amplitudes had recovered. Following 20 minutes of dark adaptation after indirect ophthalmoscopy (bright-intensity light), all ERG amplitudes were significantly decreased and implicit times were significantly decreased at several flash intensities, compared with pretest ERGs; after 60 minutes of dark adaptation, ERG amplitudes and implicit times had returned to initial values, except for b-wave amplitudes recorded in response to dimmer stimuli. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggest that at least 60 minutes of dark adaptation should be allowed before ERGs are performed in dogs after fundus photography or indirect ophthalmoscopy.

Adaptation, Ocular↗

PubMed2002

Thyroid issues in reproduction.

Observations in people and animals demonstrate relationships between thyroid and reproductive functions. Thyroid issues of importance to small animal reproduction are twofold. First, some thyroid disorders, such as lymphocytic thyroiditis and some forms of congenital hypothyroidism, appear to be heritable. Those traits might be considered undesirable. If so, to eliminate the trait affected animals would not be selected as breeding stock. Second, thyroid disorders may adversely affect fertility, pregnancy, or neonatal health. If a causal relationship existed between thyroid and reproductive disorders, correction of one would be expected to result in resolution of the other. This is often not the case. Although animals and people with thyroid disorders may also have reproductive disorders, usually disorders other than thyroid disease are the cause of reproductive abnormalities. It appears that euthyroidism supports optimal reproductive performance, but clinically significant reproductive dysfunction is manifested only under certain uncommon conditions of thyroid disease in dogs and cats.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Identification and characterization of an idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis-like condition in cats.

Interstitial lung diseases are a heterogeneous group of disorders with a variety of causes. In veterinary medicine, such lung diseases with a prominent fibrotic component of unknown etiology are often called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). In human medicine, this term is reserved for a distinct disease entity with specific histologic findings labeled as usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP). We identified 23 cats displaying histologic criteria of UIP The purpose of this retrospective study is to describe the presentation and response to therapy of these cats to better define this disease entity. All but 2 cats were middle aged to older (median 8.7 years), with no apparent sex or breed predisposition. Complaints included respiratory distress (n = 18) and cough (13). Duration of signs was less than 6 months in 17 cats. Physical-examination abnormalities included tachypnea, inspiratory or mixed inspiratory and expiratory effort, and adventitial lung sounds. No consistent hematologic or biochemical abnormalities, parasites, or positive serologic results for feline retroviruses, heartworms, or toxoplasmosis were present. Radiographic changes included dense patchy or diffuse interstitial, bronchiolar, and alveolar infiltrates. Analysis of bronchial lavage fluid revealed mild neutrophilic inflammation (n = 6) with no consistent pathogen growth. Clinical condition of 5 cats worsened after lavage. Coincident pulmonary neoplasia was identified in 6 cats. Response to therapy (corticosteroids, antibiotics, bronchodilators, and diuretics) was poor, and most cats died within days to months. Cats with histologic changes compatible with UIP had signs that mimicked many of the clinical findings of human IPF, and treatment response was similarly unrewarding.

Animals↗