Moraiti K. PhD Student, Clinic of Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Thessaly, Karditsa | Karra D. PhD Student, Clinic of Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Thessaly, Karditsa | Newman S. DVM, DVSc, DACVP, Newman Specialty VetPath, Hicksville, NY, USA | Suchodolski J. Professor, Texas A&M University, Texas, USA | Steiner J. Distinguished Professor, Texas A&M University, Texas, USA | Xenoulis P. Associate Professor, Clinic of Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Thessaly, Karditsa and Adjunct Professor, Texas A&M University, Texas, USA
Introduction
The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between serum cobalamin and folate concentrations and histopathological findings, duration of clinical signs and dysbiosis index (DI) in cats with chronic enteropathy (CE) and healthy cats.
Materials and methods
Sixty-four cats with CE and 13 healthy were included. All cats underwent upper and lower endoscopy and biopsy samples were collected for histopathology. Serum cobalamin and folate concentrations, and fecal DI were measured.
Results
Twenty four of 62 (39%) cats with CE had hypocobalaminemia (<290ng/L). Of these, 7/24 (30%) were diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and 16/24 (70%) with small cell lymphoma (SCL). None of the healthy cats had hypocobalaminemia. The median serum cobalamin concentration in cats with SCL (272ng/L) was significantly lower than in IBD (913.4ng/L, p=0.0143). The median histopathological score in cats with SCL (5.5) was significantly higher than in IBD (3.5, p=0.0124). No significant difference between serum cobalamin and folate concentrations, duration of clinical signs, histopathological findings and DI was found in healthy cats.
Conclusions
Hypocobalaminemia is common in cats with CE and is seems to be related with SCL, more severe histopathological findings and dysbiosis.
